Year 3, Day 80: A silly new idea...

I really like this time of year because there are so many articles about losing weight, getting in shape, etc. I think with having so many articles available it really shows that what is most important is being consistent than any one thing.

This article from Prevention is a great example of my point.

52 ways to lose a pound a week...some of the ideas seemed similar, but for the most part there are 52 different ways to change your thinking, change your eating, change your work out and reward yourself.

In all the examples (ideas from real people), the person lost weight and then kept it off by being consistent. My favorite examples are from people who lost weight umpteen number of years ago and still have the weight off - now that is consistency!

I thought it would be fun to try out some of these ideas (one idea a week and write about it). I am also pretty sure I have my own ideas and my own way of implementing these ideas. And finally, I am not going to try these ideas out in any certain order...just want to have fun. :)

So, without further ado, this week's idea is....

(Talk Yourself Thin) 40. Carry a pen.

The woman in this idea wrote about her stress instead of feeding it. She feels that journaling has become her no-cal stress buster.

I decided to try this one first because I already know how much I love to write; however, I have never thought of writing as a stress buster. I usually wait to do my journaling at the end of the day - when I am about to go to bed. I write in my blogs when I have the time and/or when I have something interesting to say...but I do not write to beat stress. I no longer write creatively (which I miss) and I no longer write down what I am studying (although I am helping my oldest daughter with her spiritual studies).

I know I am stressed. I know I am frustrated a lot by the end of the day...but I do not have a good way of dealing with it. I waste time on the computer. I waste time watching movies. I waste time playing games on my phone. I waste time instead of dealing with the stress.

A lot of my stress comes from things that I have no control - like children having their own minds and opinions about their life! Or being in town all day to run errands (which isn't necessarily stressful, but is very draining). Or having to deal with other people's personalities within a homeschool group or a church group or whatever group I am dealing with at the moment. And lets be honest, sometimes I am dealing with the stress within my own home - the clutter, the mess, the husband who currently is not working (but helping a ton with home school), etc.

Life is stressful. I think it is important to find a way to deal with it. I love the idea of writing out my stress...be it here on my blog, in my journal or even  random note on my phone.

Happy Journey!